As part of our efforts to foster creative and dynamic new approaches to the study of ethics and democratic accountability, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, New York, in partnership with Global Thinkers Forum, London, will co-host an international conference on the topic “How Democratic Societies Foster Shared Values and Hold Leaders to Account.”

On the occasion of this critical moment, as the future of Greek politics, the integrity of the Eurozone, and democratic values at large hang in the balance, Carnegie Council and Global Thinkers Forum is convening a diverse group of scholars to discuss the future of democracy and political accountability. The symbolic backdrop for this discussion is Athens, the birthplace of democracy. We invite you to participate in this timely event.

The conference featuring Carnegie Council Global Ethics Fellows will be held in Athens, Greece—the birthplace of democracy—on April 25, 2015. As part of the conference, a select delegation of high-profile scholars and ethical visionaries, led by senior Carnegie Council leadership, will participle in an intensive, multi-phased dialogue with 100+ Greek academics, public officials, business leaders, activists, students, and citizens. They will pursue ethical questions that lie at the heart of the Greek tradition of democracy and develop a new understanding of global citizenship that transcends national borders.

The conference is designed to serve as a “pilot” to explore a deeper investment into the establishment of a recurring international academic symposium in Athens. Our vision is to develop a “Global Ethics Network Academy” in Greece, which would form the centerpiece of the Council’s larger Global Ethics Network—a major, multimillion dollar educational initiative launched in 2011 that engages educators and students from every region of the world in a discussion on global ethics. The Network’s yearly collaborative research activities would culminate in an annual high-profile international symposium in Athens, where all Network’s Fellows and students from around the world would gather to discuss the ethical roots of global problems likecorruption, climate change, and the use of force, and offer concrete ideas for how diverse communities can work together to solve them.

About Carnegie Council

Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational institution established by Andrew Carnegie in 1914. It was founded on Andrew Carnegie’s belief that good politics and positive social change should be based on ethical principles and innovative thinking. The establishment of Carnegie Council at the eve of World War I was one of Andrew Carnegie’s last major philanthropic initiatives, intended to lay the foundation for a more ethical future and a world free of war. For 100 years, the Council has aspired to realize Andrew Carnegie’s mission by serving as worldwide voice for ethics in international affairs.

Our Mission: Employing the convening capacities of the Council’s NYC headquarters and the global broadcasting powers of our in-house multimedia production facility, Carnegie Ethics Studio, the Council strives to increase public awareness of the ethical dimensions of complex international affairs issues. Our work is rooted in the premise that the incorporation of ethical concerns into discussions of international affairs will yield more effective foreign policies. The Council’s programs thus provide a nonpartisan forum for the world’s leading thinkers to debate questions of values, principles, and moral arguments as they pertain to the world’s most pressing concerns. In disseminating these discussions to classrooms, think tanks, and homes worldwide, we strive to advance the simple but powerful message that ethics matter – regardless of place, origin, or belief.

About Global Thinkers Forum

Global Thinkers Forum (GTF) is a think tank, a platform to create dialogue and bring current and future leaders together to discuss governance, society, progress and the future. GTF has been created to reposition perceptions about governance through a global perspective. Today there is a loud cry the world over for governance improvement, credible, responsible and ethical leadership. The strategic GTF mission is to help breed a new generation of leaders by effectively harnessing the power of social and human networks through listening, filtering and processing information and creating innovative approaches for forward thinking in the realms of Governance, Community Development, Entrepreneurship, Business, Social Transformation and Ethics.

We need to train leaders to understand how to invest in social capital, how to challenge incumbent behavioral patterns and re-engineer group thinking in ways that promote problem-solving. We believe that through ‘Global Thinking’ we can effectively tackle complex and controversial issues using key concepts including: global citizenship, conflict resolution, human rights, interdependence, social justice, sustainable development, ethical values. Our mission is to create better, deeper insights for our world as a whole and pursue individual prosperity through collective progress.GTF 2012 took place in Amman, Jordan (October 2012) under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan and focused on the role of the modern MENA woman, in the region and globally. GTF 2013 took place in Athens, Greece (December 3, 2013) and focused on Leadership & Collaboration in Shifting Environments. GTF promotes the extensive participation of women as a necessary imperative for our world and the creation of just societies. GTF 2014 took place in Dubai, UAE and its theme was ‘Arab Women as Changemakers’.